Semis collide on I-75, blocking northbound lanes

Published: Saturday, October 19, 2013 at 3:53 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, October 19, 2013 at 3:53 p.m.

An accident involving two tractor-trailer rigs on Interstate 75 near Micanopy on Saturday afternoon blocked northbound lanes and forced traffic to detour off the interstate for several hours.

Florida Highway Patrol officials at the scene said the driver of the overturned semi, Larry D. Lowery, 63, of Laurinburg, N.C., was hospitalized in critical condition at UF Health Shands Hospital after he was cut out of his 2001 International semi with extrication tools.

A prior accident had occurred near mile marker 374 just north of the Micanopy exit, troopers said. The tire of a car blew, causing a semi driver to react, which caused the rig to jackknife, blocking the left lane, FHP said.

A short while later, with traffic stop-and-go because of the jackknifed semi and other prior crashes, the semi being driven by Lowery went out of control, overturning on the driver's side, troopers said.

The top of Lowery's rig collided with the rear of a 2013 Freightliner semi being driven by Floyd A. Bomia, of Deltona. Bomia was not injured in the accident, according to FHP.

Lowery's semi ended up across all three lanes of northbound I-75 and caught fire, FHP said. That crash occurred about a quarter-mile south of the jackknifed semi.

Authorities diverted northbound traffic off the interstate and onto CR 234 in Micanopy. But as the backups grew worse, a detour was also established on Marion County Road 318 at Orange Lake.

<p>An accident involving two tractor-trailer rigs on Interstate 75 near Micanopy on Saturday afternoon blocked northbound lanes and forced traffic to detour off the interstate for several hours.</p><p>Florida Highway Patrol officials at the scene said the driver of the overturned semi, Larry D. Lowery, 63, of Laurinburg, N.C., was hospitalized in critical condition at UF Health Shands Hospital after he was cut out of his 2001 International semi with extrication tools.</p><p>A prior accident had occurred near mile marker 374 just north of the Micanopy exit, troopers said. The tire of a car blew, causing a semi driver to react, which caused the rig to jackknife, blocking the left lane, FHP said.</p><p>A short while later, with traffic stop-and-go because of the jackknifed semi and other prior crashes, the semi being driven by Lowery went out of control, overturning on the driver's side, troopers said.</p><p>The top of Lowery's rig collided with the rear of a 2013 Freightliner semi being driven by Floyd A. Bomia, of Deltona. Bomia was not injured in the accident, according to FHP.</p><p>Lowery's semi ended up across all three lanes of northbound I-75 and caught fire, FHP said. That crash occurred about a quarter-mile south of the jackknifed semi.</p><p>Authorities diverted northbound traffic off the interstate and onto CR 234 in Micanopy. But as the backups grew worse, a detour was also established on Marion County Road 318 at Orange Lake.</p>